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During her first semester at Chicago’s Malcolm X College, Nikya Harrell had had enough. It was winter, and she was cold. She was bouncing to and from family members’ houses and sometimes could only afford one meal a week.
Harrell came to school overwhelmed and crying. A concerned friend suggested she see the school’s therapist, who connected her with the Dax Program, which offers students at risk of or experiencing homelessness a place to live for up to two years.
Harrell came to Denver for Depaul USA’s Dax Program’s Thursday opening of the city’s first student residence near the Capitol building. Harrell had a message for other students who face challenges finding a place to live that she’s often repeated to herself: “You’re never alone.”
Dax provides students with a safe living space that allows them to focus on getting a college degree without worrying about where they’ll sleep. The program has partnered with Metropolitan State University of Denver and Regis University, but wants to expand services to other local colleges and universities.
The nonprofit provides resources to people experiencing homelessness and operates 11 Dax student housing programs in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York. The program started in 2015 and has housed 494 students in those cities.
The Denver Dax residence, an 1890s brick building that was originally a duplex in North Capitol Hill, is one of the national program’s larger residences and will be able to house up to 15 students.
The Denver building will expand the program’s reach to about 110 students annually, according to a news release. Depaul USA’s website says about 95% of residents find permanent housing after participating in the program, and the Depaul USA news release says about 84% remain in school or graduate.
To live in the house, students must work a minimum of 10 hours per week, be in good academic standing, and pay a reduced-cost monthly rent.
Students in the program also get movie nights, Sunday dinners, and resources such as onsite food pantries, financial literacy workshops, employment assistance, and physical and behavioral health referrals.
“Our program is really designed to transition students towards independence,” said Serita Reels, Depaul USA’s national Dax Program director.
Nationwide, a recent survey of 74,350 students at 91 colleges in 16 states shared that about half of them experience housing insecurity and about 14% are homeless, according to a 2023-24 report from The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs.
MSU Denver’s Abbie Kell, the school’s associate director of basic needs and housing support, said her office helps about 80 to 90 students annually who are experiencing homelessness. Erica Ingalls, Regis’ dean of students, said her school provides aid to four to six students a year who don’t have a place to live.
Both campuses connect students with a list of resources that includes help applying to federal food aid, access to food pantries, and housing assistance. Regis provides two weeks of residence hall housing for homeless students, and MSU Denver offers emergency housing assistance.
But some students might not be eligible for those resources, or the help might not last long enough to help them get on their feet. Students also typically stay away from community shelters, Kell said.
“A lot of students usually live out of their car,” Kell said.
MSU Denver helped a student move into the Dax building before the Thursday ribbon-cutting ceremony, Kell said.
She said the process was respectful of the student’s circumstances. The student interviewed with Dax Program staff, talked about where they would wash clothes, and decided which room they wanted, Kell said.
Harrell said Dax Chicago’s Cecilia house gave her her own living space for the first time. She decorated the walls with “Coraline” and One Direction posters.
She also put affirmations such as “Take a deep breath” and “You might be going through a storm, but the sun is approaching soon” on the walls and in her desk.
Her own space helped her open up. She dove deep into poetry and journaling. She’s participated in her school’s student government. She now lives in an apartment and plans to graduate from DePaul University in 2029 with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.
